New York: The Birthplace of America’s First Christmas Tree Lot

The tradition of buying a Christmas tree from a lot has become a staple of the holiday season for many families around the world but did you know that this Christmas tradition can be traced back to a groundbreaking idea thought up by a New York State resident?

The tradition of Christmas tree lots can be traced back to 1851, with the establishment of the first mass-market sale of Christmas trees in the United States and the renowned woodsman, Mark Carr.

In the mid-19th century, hardly any modern Christmas traditions existed. One that did was the Christmas tree, a pre-Christian ritual incorporated into holiday festivities in German-speaking European countries. Although the tradition did exist in the United States thanks to the Dutch, it was German immigrants who popularized it.

As a huge surge in German immigration began in the 1840s, it is not surprising that New York’s first Christmas tree market — the first mass-market sale of Christmas trees in the United States — came along in 1851.

Mark Carr lived in the lush Catskill Mountains and seized the opportunity when he heard tales of families driving outside of town and chopping down evergreen trees to drag into the city. Carr wanted to bring the forest to people who lived in the city, and driven by the spirit of the holidays, decided to chop down a couple dozen fir and spruce trees and transport them to Manhattan on a ferry.

Setting up shop in the Washington Market, Carr paid one dollar for the privilege of taking up a sidewalk space. His entire stock of evergreens sold out in only one day, and the tradition of selling Christmas trees from lots was born and quickly spread through the United States.

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Carr and his sons became synonymous with Christmas trees in New York City, reportedly selling trees for decades. This venture proved immensely profitable, with Carr's sons continuing to sell trees in the city as late as 1898. The legacy of Carr and his entrepreneurial spirit continues to shape how families celebrate the holiday season to this day!